Actor Guillermo Diaz has been acting since the ’90s, and early in his career, he said he was often typecast as the opposite of who he actually is. Speaking on the “McBride Rewind” podcast, Diaz, known for his role as Huck in “Scandal,” said things began to change after he had an honest conversation with his management team.

Guillermo Diaz Opens Up About Being ‘Typecast’ Early In His Career

Diaz, who was cast in shows like “Law & Order,” “ER,” and “The Sopranos,” said he was typecast early in his career, which led him to begin searching for other roles.

“I had already done so many, like, thug roles, like on Law & Order and on all these shows — I was super typecast for a long time,” he said while reflecting on his audition for “Weeds.” “It was just another job.”

However, after appearing in more and more productions as the same character, Diaz said he took it upon himself to force a change.

Guillermo Diaz Recalls Receiving ‘Pushback’ For Wanting To Diversify His Portfolio

After speaking with his management team about auditioning for more complex roles that broke the routine, he received “pushback,” as they thought it could negatively impact his career.

“I think they were more comfortable with me playing like bad guys and gun-toting drug dealers than I was playing like gay characters or a drag queen,” he said. “My team and people in my life were more nervous about that.”

Firing back, Diaz questioned why those closest to him would consider him playing a queer character to be a “bad thing” but not when he’s portraying aggressive criminals.

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Guillermo Diaz Used This Film To Publicly Come Out As Gay

Diaz, who is openly gay, snagged roles in different films in 1995, including “Party” and “Stonewall.” Diaz plays the lead role of La Miranda in the latter, which is a fictionalized account of the weeks leading up to the Stonewall riots.

During the promotional tour for the film, Diaz said he used that opportunity to publicly come out as gay, adding that he never wanted to be an actor who avoided questions about his sexuality. “I was honest about being gay from the get-go,” he said. ” So, there was no mystery there.”

And according to Diaz, trusting his gut was the right move, as it showed him “in a different light,” and provided him the chance to take on new work.

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Diaz ‘Fell In Love’ With His Character In Another ABC Production

After he finished his run on “Scandal” in 2018, Diaz returned to ABC to appear in the half-hour comedy “United We Fall.” Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Diaz said the thought of switching gears and jumping back into comedy appealed to him.

“Honestly, I wish I had the luxury and the power to pick and choose what roles I play. The role in United We Fall just another audition that came my way. And of course, the fact that it was a half-hour sitcom was so different from Scandal, and Chuy from the Huck character. That was definitely something that excited me,” he said.

He went on to say he initially turned down the role because of a misunderstanding, but after being asked to reconsider, he changed his mind. “I’m so glad it came back around and that I took it,” he said.

Why ‘United We Fall’ Was A Big Deal For Diaz

“United We Fall” aired for one season on ABC in 2020 and featured a mixed-race, Latix household.

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It follows a couple with young children and an over-the-top extended family when the husband’s “judgmental mother” moves in with them.

Aside from the show’s premise, Diaz said the diversity and wide range of identities were major reasons he said yes.

“I want to say how proud I am at the diversity of this show and its strong Latino presence. This should be the norm and something that we don’t have to think about anymore,” he said. “I feel that it’s so important for you to see yourself represented on television and in movies, contributing to society and a good and positive way like we do on this show. We’re successful Latinos who are family-oriented. Just seeing this show will help Latino kids feel not only represented and relevant but also that they could be on TV.”

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When it comes to prestige television, nothing comes close to HBO. With a total of 1,500 Primetime Emmy nominations and more than 220 wins, HBO has built its reputation on taking creative risks and putting fresh twists on any genre, be it drama, comedy, or even sci-fi.

While sci-fi is often known for pushing the boundaries of science, these HBO sci-fi shows put humanity first, giving even non-sci-fi watchers a chance to connect with the characters and stories without having to get caught up in all the hard science. From androids raising human children to a bunch of wealthy passengers getting trapped on a space vacation, here are HBO sci-fi shows where every episode is a masterpiece.

‘Peacemaker’ (2022–2025)

Image via HBO Max

Taking place five months after The Suicide Squad, the sci-fi-adjacent superhero series Peacemaker follows Christopher Smith (John Cena) as he recovers from his near-fatal injuries sustained during the mission. Struggling with his identity as an anti-hero and his belief that “the ends justify the means,” Peacemaker is approached by A.R.G.U.S. to join a covert operation that forces him to work alongside a bunch of dysfunctional misfits.

While the superhero premise is obviously front and center, Peacemaker also has an overlooked sci-fi element that’s often overshadowed by its superhero premise. Think mind-controlling Butterflies that invade human bodies and consume their brains from the inside, turning their hosts into obedient vessels. The show also introduces alternate realities, including a parallel universe with a radically different version of Earth and its history. These bizarre concepts make Peacemaker feel much stranger than a typical superhero series, especially when its absurd sci-fi ideas are thrown into the middle of an otherwise grounded team mission.

‘Westworld’ (2016–2022)

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Westworld is set in a futuristic theme park where lifelike robotic Hosts cater to wealthy guests’ every desire, including violence and sex. But when several Hosts begin recovering memories of their brutal pasts, they develop a sense of consciousness and turn against their creators. As Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) and Maeve (Thandiwe Newton) awaken to their reality, a rebellion threatens to expose Delos’ darkest secrets.

While the Hosts are intriguing as they push beyond their cognitive limitations, the park itself is practically its own character in Westworld. Its Western aesthetic isn’t purely for show, as it brings familiar elements like gunslingers, outlaws, saloons, and frontier towns into a futuristic setting, while wealthy human guests treat those stories as their personal playground. The introduction of other parks, including the Japanese-inspired Shōgunworld, expands this idea even further, showing Hosts being forced to perform predetermined identities within carefully constructed worlds. As the Hosts awaken, these artificial worlds become a fascinating reflection of the roles humans force them to play.

‘Watchmen’ (2019)

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With one of America’s most devastating tragedies serving as the launching pad for the show, Watchmen follows Angela Abar (Regina King), a detective who operates under the masked identity of Sister Night in an alternate 2019 where masked vigilantes are outlawed. As Angela investigates a murder tied to the past, she uncovers conspiracies involving certain controversial groups.

Audiences don’t have to read the original Watchmen graphic novel to understand the show, especially since it expands the original story by introducing new characters and ideas. Even more impressive is its ability to tie the fictional world to real U.S. history, giving the show even more weight as the story gets increasingly graphic. The Tulsa Massacre, a real event in which a thriving Black community was attacked and destroyed, becomes central to Angela’s story and the show’s exploration of racism, generational trauma, and how Black history can be erased or forgotten.

‘The Leftovers’ (2014–2017)

The Leftovers takes place three years after the inexplicable “Sudden Departure,” when 2% of the world’s population mysteriously disappears. The series follows police chief Kevin Garvey (Justin Theroux) as he struggles to hold his family and community together amid the aftermath, while cults like the Guilty Remnant emerge and survivors like Nora Durst (Carrie Coon) grapple with unimaginable loss in a world searching for answers.

Instead of treating the “Sudden Departure” as a mystery that requires solving, The Leftovers exists as this earthly purgatory, where people try to live through the uncertainty and process their grief. That’s something viewers have in common with these characters, as we watch them process grief in completely different ways, making it both a collective and individual experience simultaneously. While the first season can be overwhelmingly bleak, the following seasons inject more humor, hope, and surrealism, perfectly illustrating the absurdity of living in a reality where nobody knows why 2% of humanity disappeared.

‘Raised by Wolves’ (2020–2022)

Image via HBO Max

Raised by Wolves follows two androids, Mother (Amanda Collin) and Father (Abubakar Salim), tasked with raising human children on Kepler-22b after Earth is devastated by bloody war. As the small colony grows, religious differences threaten to tear the survivors apart, forcing the androids to confront the consequences of raising humanity while attempting to control the beliefs shaping their society.

Unlike your typical emotionless androids, Mother and Father develop their own personalities and attachments. Mother, in particular, begins to question the limits of her programming as she forms a bond with the children. It’s also a show that bravely tackles heavier subjects like religion and how belief can sometimes manifest as overzealousness when things are taken too far. Marcus’ visions of Sol further complicate the conflict, showing how quickly faith can influence people’s actions. In the end, though, Raised by Wolves emphasizes that belief is more complex than we realize.

‘Station Eleven’ (2021–2022)

Image via HBO Max

In the aftermath of a civilization-wiping flu pandemic, Station Eleven follows the effects of the incident, switching between the outbreak’s early days and 20 years later. Among them is Kirsten Raymonde (Mackenzie Davis), who grows from a traumatized child into a resilient woman traveling with the Traveling Symphony, a troupe of performers preserving art in the post-apocalyptic world.

Post-apocalyptic shows tend to be bleak and despondent. That’s not the case for Station Eleven. Basic needs like food and water are crucial, but so is nourishment for the soul. Through the Traveling Symphony, Kirsten and her crew bring life to communities with Shakespeare, music, and a sense of connection that reminds survivors of what makes life worth living. Rather than simply showing people struggling to survive, the series asks what they should live for after everything familiar has disappeared. The Traveling Symphony’s performances become a way for survivors to reconnect with their humanity, proving that art can endure even when civilization does not.

‘Avenue 5’ (2020–2022)

Image via HBO

Space flights are a huge risk, but space tourism is a different kind of danger. Avenue 5 follows the wealthy passengers and inept crew of a luxury interplanetary cruise ship after a maintenance accident sends the vessel 0.21 degrees off course. Instead of the eight-week outer-space trip they signed up for, it becomes a three-year journey home.

Considering the nature of space tourism today, Avenue 5 is the perfect satire of how the wealthy think they’re completely invincible. Just because they can afford a ticket doesn’t make them immune to disaster. And when they inevitably find themselves in trouble, their lack of preparation becomes the perfect source of workplace-ish mishaps. The passengers expect the crew to solve every problem because they’ve paid for a luxury experience, while the crew itself is barely equipped to handle the crisis. This makes the show’s central joke especially effective: money can buy you a ticket to space, but it can’t buy you immunity from disaster.

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Avenue 5

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Release Date

2020 – 2022-00-00

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Network

HBO

Directors

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Natalie Bailey, Armando Iannucci, David Schneider, Annie Griffin, William Stefan Smith

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Reese Witherspoon turned the Nashville Film Festival red carpet into a family affair.

Witherspoon, 50, stepped out with her mother, Betty Reese, and lookalike kids Ava and Deacon Phillippe on Saturday, September 26, for the world premiere of Brother Save Us at the 57th Nashville Film Festival. (Witherspoon is also the mother of son Tennessee, 14, whom she shares with ex Jim Toth.)

The family was attending in celebration of the film, which stars Deacon, 22, as a farmer in a dystopian Midwest. In one image from Saturday, the mother-son duo placed their arms around each other while smiling for the camera.

Witherspoon opted for a strapless white corset top and black pants with black heels for the occasion, while Deacon donned a brown suit with a brown T-shirt. Ava, 27, selected a mini slip dress with diagonal stripes and Betty wore a black suit with a silk scarf around her neck.

Related: Reese Witherspoon Twins With Daughter Ava in ‘Merry’ Holiday Photo

While Reese Witherspoon has an expansive résumé, she touts parenthood as one of her greatest achievements. The Legally Blonde star first became a mother in September 1999, welcoming daughter Ava with then-husband Ryan Phillippe. The duo — who were married between 1999 and 2006 — then welcomed son Deacon in October 2003. Thank You! You […]

“So proud of you @deaconphillippee!!” Witherspoon wrote via her Instagram Story on Saturday, reposting images of the mother-son duo from the event.

Days before the occasion, Deacon opened up about feeling a connection to the project due to his relationship with brother Tennessee.

“I just remember feeling surprised that someone could write exactly how I feel about my little brother,” Deacon told Variety earlier this month. “That depth of love in a script is just something you rarely get to see.”

He also got candid about following in the acting footsteps of Witherspoon and his father, Ryan Phillippe, who were married from 1999 to 2007.

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Related: Reese Witherspoon’s Most Relatable Quotes About Kids Ava, Deacon, Tennessee

Reese Witherspoon became a mom at age 23 and has been making candid motherhood confessions ever since. The actress welcomed daughter Ava with her ex-husband, Ryan Phillippe, in 1999, and the little one became a big sister four years later when son Deacon arrived. Following the Cruel Intentions costars’ 2006 split, Witherspoon wed Jim Toth […]

“I acknowledge that I’m extremely lucky, but you know, at the same time, I hold myself to a standard,” Deacon said. “I’m not really looking to prove anything to anyone but myself to try to be the best version I can be, the best person I can be and work as hard as I can. A lot of people are going to assume things … All I can do is do my thing, and show that I want to work extremely, extremely hard.”

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Deacon, who is set to star in the upcoming rom-com Better Than the Movies, went on to reflect on his favorite movie in the genre involving his mother.

“I would say, Sweet Home Alabama,” he said. “It’s very weird to watch your parents act. It’s hard. I remember when I was a kid, I watched one of my dad’s first movies, White Squall, and I was crying because they were bullying him in the movie.”

He continued, “But as you get older, there’s something magical about watching your parents young and at your age. I’m always in awe of their careers and all that they’ve done. That’s why I’m always leaning on them for advice, which is another thing I’m blessed to have.”

Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Lanterns Episode 7.

As Lanterns continues to pick up speed, the penultimate installment of the season is right on the cusp of discovering who killed Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and why. John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) is still on the case, aided by his trusty “Halogram,” with Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion) seemingly unbothered by the death of his predecessor. It took seven episodes, but Lanterns finally delivers a glimpse of something most fans wanted from the beginning: two Green Lantern icons cooperating with one another to achieve a shared goal.

‘Lanterns’ Episode 7 Reveals the Truth About Hal Jordan’s Childhood

This penultimate episode begins in 1975 when a young Hal Jordan is being ridiculed by his coach because he wouldn’t give up the ball during a game. Martin, his father, comes in and his son tells him that he fought his whole team for the ball — because, of course, he did. But rather than ridicule his son, Martin commends the boy before getting into a fight with the coach, and before long, father and son are at a nearby airstrip sporting matching bruises. Martin gives his son a key attached to a chain, telling the boy that he will either succeed or fail in life. The key opens his safe, which contains things that will stay only between them.

Back in 2026, John tells the Halogram that Hal — whose body they’re standing over — was killed, and now John needs Hal’s voice to open the hidden safe that he and Kerry (Kelly Macdonald) found. But John is also a little distracted, calling his brother to wire some more money to Rushville so that he can pay off the waitress, Maggie (Hannah Christine Shetler). Things get more complicated for John when he takes the Halogram to the safe, as the ring’s backup of Hal’s consciousness refuses to proceed without speaking to the authorities, meaning Kerry. John refuses, telling him about Kerry and Hal’s relationship, which only leads the Halogram to put his foot down harder.

On the way to the sheriff’s department, John tries to shut the Halogram up by removing the ring from his finger, but the program remains. Halogram is quite impressed by the feat, revealing to John that none of the other Green Lanterns have been able to do that — in case you forgot the whole bird thing from earlier in the series, John can do things on autopilot that other Lanterns at their full power ring strength seemingly cannot. (This occurs eventually in the comics too, but not this early in his Lantern career.) Upon making it to Kerry’s office, a notice on the front door says that everyone is at the “hat ceremony” at the high school — where Kerry’s son Noah (Shea Pritchard) will seemingly pick his college trajectory. While there, the Halogram sees the Green Lantern beacon and the names scribbled on it, wondering why John (and seemingly everyone else) hates Hal so much.

‘Lanterns’ Episode 7 Further Explores Hal Jordan’s Secrets

Image via HBO

At the hat ceremony, John is confronted once more by Maggie, who continues to hold his time in Rushville the night of Hal’s death over him. While he assures her that the money is on the way, he parts with his watch in the meantime. As the ceremony commences, John watches from the sidelines as Noah reveals that he’s not making a decision today — at least not until he wins the big football game. Billy (Jason Ritter) confronts John in the gym, but Kerry gets between them, meeting John in the science lab. Of course, when she gets there, she’s blindsided by the Halogram. When the program asks who killed him, she claims that they don’t know. He then asks what Hal thought about John before his death, and the sheriff replies that for Hal, watching John succeed was like watching his favorite football team — which feels like a complete 180 from what we saw from Hal before.

After leaving Kerry, the Halogram tells John that he believes she killed Hal. John thinks the backup is being paranoid, but the AI insists on going to the vault now without the sheriff, wasting no more time. So, that’s exactly what they do. Once it’s open, they find only a backpack and a grocery bag — curious for a man who was once a Green Lantern. Inside the backpack is a gun, and inside the bag is a portal, not unlike the ones the Guardians used when recruiting John. The Halogram opens the door, which leads to another planet. After finding a safe location to place the portal (somewhere away from the storage unit), the Halogram and John go through it.

A giant structure hangs overhead, almost like a floating city of some kind, which is something John’s never seen before — but since the only way to figure out why Hal had this portal in the first place is to further explore this strange new world, that’s exactly what this unlikely pair does. In very Great Gatsby-like fashion, John eyes a green light far off in the distance, and as he nears it, he discovers an alien skull — and not just one. Halogram reveals that the world has been long abandoned and is now a graveyard. John recalls that when Antaan (Paul Ben-Victor) abducted him, he showed him the Manhunter’s destruction of this world.

Image via HBO

Walking to the edge of an enormous lake of some kind, John and Halogram hop in a boat and row toward the light. After a heart-to-heart about why John met with Hal the night he died, the would-be Green Lantern banishes the AI backup for the time being. But it isn’t long before he begins to hallucinate, seeing intense images of his father and countless apples bobbing in the water. John even sees his younger self, who reminds him that he never wanted to be a Lantern in the first place. On the brink of insanity, he eventually falls into the water and nearly drowns before the Halogram pulls him out. So, what’s the deal? Well, John believes that the gas the Manhunters used to eradicate everyone on this world is still in the air and the rain, messing with his mind.

After John recovers, the Halogram tells him that Hal’s father killed himself. While traditional interpretations of Hal’s mythos reveal that Martin Jordan died in a test-flight accident, that’s not what happened here in the DC Universe. So, when young Hal opened his father’s safe, it was full of cash, old photos, and a suicide note. He discovered that this pain persisted between generations, from his grandfather to his father to now him. “I’m not fearless because I’m brave,” Halogram tells John. “I’m fearless because I’m broken.” Although the pair wonder if Hal actually killed himself, that question will have to be answered in the next episode.

As the two arrive at the structure, a man holds a knife to Halogram’s throat. Of course, since he’s essentially a power ring construct, he disappears and fakes out the attacker, giving John just enough of an edge to overcome the mysterious alien infiltrator. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s Sinestro (Ulrich Thomsen), who presumes that he has finally met John Stewart. With only one episode left, there are still plenty of questions left to be answered. How did Hal actually die? How did Sinestro escape? Why can John do things other Lanterns can’t? Is Noah actually a Manhunter? Does Kerry, once again, know more than she’s saying? Could Hal come back from the dead? Hopefully, Lanterns will be able to stick the landing and tie up every loose end neatly.

The finale of Lanterns premieres next Sunday on HBo and HBO Max.

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Release Date

August 16, 2026

Network

HBO

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Directors

Alik Sakharov, James Hawes, Stephen Williams, Geeta Patel

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Writers

Damon Lindelof, Chris Mundy, Tom King, Vanessa Baden Kelly, Justin Britt-Gibson, Breannah Gibson

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Pros & Cons

• Halogram is inarguably the better version of Hal, so it’s great to get him for an entire episode.
• John being forced to come to terms with the entire trajectory of his life is much more interesting now than earlier in the series.
• The show finally embraces the alien aspect of Green Lantern lore.

• It feels like there’s still a lot of ground to cover before the season is over.
• Kerry is obviously hiding something again and it feels like the show has played this exact card before.

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Editor’s note: The below interview contains spoilers for Lanterns Episode 7.

HBO’s Lanterns only has one more week left to go, and with its 2016 storyline officially wrapped up, the DCU series has jumped ahead by a decade, making quiet strides toward resolving a mystery that’s been hanging over the show from the beginning: who killed Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler)?

Despite being summoned back to Rushville by Sheriff Kerry Kane (Kelly Macdonald), what John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) knows — and what the show ultimately reveals — is that Hal and John’s last conversation took place hours before Hal turned up dead on those bleachers. Before that, Hal had actually been trying to make amends for what happened in Rushville 10 years prior, even though the townspeople, including Kerry’s now-ex Billy Macon (Jason Ritter), still carry a lot of resentment towards the Green Lantern and everything that went down. While the show continues to creep closer to confirming the identity of Hal’s murderer, it does shine a spotlight on the fact that Rushville has been forever changed by the events of 2016.

Ahead of the Lanterns premiere, Collider had the opportunity to speak with several members of the cast and creative team, including Macdonald and Ritter. Over the course of the interview, which you can watch above or read below, the co-stars discuss playing several versions of Kerry and Billy over different points in time, Kerry’s emotional Episode 7 reunion scene with the Halogram, why Billy unwisely decides to pick a fight with John Stewart, and more.

COLLIDER: Kelly, the show is primarily set around two distinct timelines, but for Kerry, we do get a glimpse of what life was like for her before Rushville. I was wondering how learning about her history in Gotham and what she’s been through prior to ending up in Rushville helped you develop a stronger understanding of her character.

KELLY MACDONALD: I don’t have too much information aside from the fact that she’s from Gotham. There are people that want to kill her, and she makes… not a deal with the devil, but she signs her life over basically to Rushville and to being there and protecting it, and it ends up being her family. So, yeah, I think it is quite important.

It was really nice to actually film a slightly younger Kerry, and sort of see her, like, she’s a bit gothy. They gave me little bangs, and I got makeup. It was really fancy.

Jason, I feel like I’m not the only person that’s going to be thinking of Matlock when Billy first walks in. Your first official scene in Lanterns, that really funny courtroom scene, and the interaction that you and Kyle [Chandler] are having feels like a bit of a parallel. This is admittedly a less serious question, but which of those characters would you pick to represent you in a legal matter: Billy or Julian?

JASON RITTER: [Laughs] I would definitely pick Julian. Not anything against Billy, but I think Billy is kind of big-fish-in-a-little-pond syndrome, and so he knows the judges, he comes in, he makes deals. He’s not necessarily an expert of the law. So, yeah, I definitely would choose Julian — but maybe Julian with a mustache.

‘Lanterns’ Halogram Reunion Reminded Kelly Macdonald of Filming ‘Boardwalk Empire’

“It’s tricky because Hal Jordan’s still Hal Jordan…”

Image via HBO

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Fair enough. Kelly, we’ve obviously just been talking about Kerry’s past, but I really do love that we get to see the evolution of the character in both timelines, both in 2016 and then later in 2026. There’s been some estrangement, as well, between Hal and John, and how the ripple effects of that kind of still linger. How did you want to balance the external toughness that [Kerry] has to have as the sheriff of this town with some of the moments when we really see more vulnerability rise to the surface, especially while, in 2026, we see her grappling with the loss of Hal, too?

MACDONALD: I think from the get-go, when you meet Kerry, and certainly when Kerry meets Hal, they recognize in each other that there’s a lot of bravado masking something very vulnerable inside. The scripts, I think, are just lovely. The character arc, it’s so nice to have time. With a film, you’ve got such a short amount of time to get everything done, and it’s just so nice to spend time with the person and see them evolve, and that was the case here.

There’s a scene I’m thinking about [in Episode 7] specifically, as well, from you, where she finds herself confronted with that saved version of Hal from the ring, and it feels like you watch all of the emotions just going over your face in real time. I’m curious about how you prepared to film that scene, because it feels like we see a lot of emotion from her with very little dialogue.

MACDONALD: Thank you.

RITTER: I love that scene.

MACDONALD: I haven’t seen it, but I was there! I remember. It was funny because it makes me think about how I did an episode in Boardwalk Empire where my character’s having an affair with somebody, and then Nucky kills this character. They were keeping the actor in this box that my character’s meant to find. Like, I didn’t see him until I was on camera, so they would get the reaction of me seeing this actor all covered in blood and all deadified.

It’s tricky because Hal Jordan’s still Hal Jordan, but it’s working with somebody so professional and brilliant at their job as Kyle Chandler. He walked on, and just one look in his eyes, and he was not the person that’s got a history with Kerry, and so it just made it really easy. It was easy and emotional. The scripts allowed for all sorts of things to be going on in Kerry’s mind, because she’s feeling everything at once.

‘Lanterns’ Jason Ritter Reveals How the Last 10 Years Have Changed Billy Macon

“2026 is a very different time for Billy…”

Image via HBO

To continue along the story of the time jump, Jason, I feel like you can see the lingering effects that the incident in 2016 has had on the town. Specifically, there’s that moment between you and Aaron [Pierre], and it feels like a very different Billy Macon that we’re seeing versus the one that we met back in 2016. The huge action and obviously the devastation that takes place, too, in Rushville, what sort of impact does that have on the character, especially in terms of the resentment that we now see towards the Green Lanterns?

RITTER: There’s been a lot of death in the town. And even though they’ve gotten divorced, it’s always tough when your ex-partner starts dating a superhero, so I’ve heard. So I think definitely, like a lot of happy-go-lucky people, your life and your outlook is one thing when things are pretty much going your way, and I think sometimes those people have further to fall when they encounter disappointment or trauma or devastation in their life.

Billy has a lot of anger and feelings of powerlessness. 2026 is a very different time for Billy, and also a time of maybe some misplaced confidence in terms of his ability to start fights and finish them. [Laughs]

Also, your characters are linked, obviously not just because of the past relationship, but there’s a child in the mix, too. I was wondering how the two of you wanted to approach continuing that partnership, because obviously they’re no longer married by the time we pick up with them 10 years later, but it seems like they are still trying to co-parent this young man [Noah], who clearly has a bright future ahead of him — even though, when we see him, he hasn’t quite made that decision yet of where he’s heading to college.

RITTER: Yes. In this period of time, I feel like there was so much divorce. There was not a lot of divorce, and then there was a lot of divorce in the ‘80s and ‘90s and things, and not a lot of understanding how it affected children, and then a lot of those kids grew up. I think there’s been a new sort of trend in divorces where generally people are trying to protect their kids, and say, “This is the most important element. We have our things between us, but let’s at least both try to be there for this kid as much as possible.” So I think they’ve been able to be humble enough to put their own differences to the side.

MACDONALD: And focus on him.

RITTER: And focus on the kid. Although I’m sure Billy’s asked if Noah’s hung out with Hal Jordan and all that kind of stuff. “What’s he like? Is he really funny?” Anyway, so there’s some of that stuff. Nothing too devastating.

New episodes of Lanterns premiere Sundays on HBO and HBO Max.

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Lanterns

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Release Date

August 16, 2026

Network

HBO

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Stockbridge Mayor Jayden Williams was reportedly removed from office following an investigation into his messages with an 18-year-old high school student and his spending on the city credit card.

Williams was the youngest mayor of Stockbridge. Now, he’s sitting down with The Shade Room’s Justin Carter on ‘TSR Investigates‘ to discuss the allegations, the private messages, and why he believes the investigation against him was politically motivated.

22-Year-Old Impeached Mayor Jayden Williams Speaks After Texts

According to Carter, the 18-year-old high school student that former Mayor Jayden Williams was communicating with was named RJ. Per Carter, the investigation into Williams revealed that their correspondence began in November 2025. At the time, RJ congratulated the mayor on winning the race and inquired about being his mentee.

Per Carter, the pair exchanged phone numbers, and “things quickly got flirty.” Specifically, the former allegedly asked RJ if he was gay or bi. In response, the teen explained that he’s bisexual, but added that he’s been “leaning towards men a lot recently.” As their interaction went on, the flirting continued, and the pair allegedly exchanged pictures and videos.

More On The Texts & City Card Scandals Exposed

According to Williams, he didn’t think anything of his interaction with the high schooler. But in December, he appeared to realize the interaction may be inappropriate, and they mutually ended things via text. Per Williams, their interaction “never went beyond text messages.”

But scroll above to watch as Jayden Williams opens up about their relationship. Additionally, he speaks about an occasion when they were together in person, and the teen allegedly tried to kiss him. Furthermore, Carter also questions Williams about his relationships with his mentees and if any were ever sexual. In addition, Williams opens up about why he believes his removal from office was politically motivated rather than sparked by his alleged illicit spending on the city’s credit card. Lastly, he also shares whether he intends to take legal action in response to his impeachment.

RELATED: Georgia Mom Says Sons Jailed After Neighbor Allegedly Fired Shots At Their Home | TSR Investigates

Cleopatra knew a thing or two about pampering, and milk + honey founder Alissa Bayer took note.

The spa founder, who has been opening locations across the U.S. since 2006, looked to the Egyptian queen when shaping the wellness destination’s concept and its expansive menu.

“I was inspired by the legends of Cleopatra bathing in milk and honey, ingredients long associated with beauty, from the lactic acid in milk to the humectant qualities of honey,” she tells ET.

The royal treatment carries through to every visit, too. The spaces offer everything from massages and facials to hair, nails, and medSPA services, making it easy to squeeze in a little self-care or settle in for a full spa day.

“It’s less about creating a one-stop shop and more about seeing an opportunity to create the kind of elevated, deeply caring experience I could not find anywhere else,” Bayer says.

“Our approach is rooted in helping people feel more grounded, confident, and connected to themselves. … Caring for your skin or getting your hair done may appear physical, but the way it makes you feel can reach much further,” she adds.

For a head-to-toe experience fit for a queen, the order matters.

“Begin with a manicure or pedicure because there is nothing quite like a hand or foot massage. From there, have a massage with body gua sha, followed by a lymphatic sculpting facial. I always recommend having the massage before the facial, so you are not lying face down afterward with freshly treated skin. Finish with a blowout so you leave feeling cared for from head to toe, and completely ready to reenter the world.”

The crowning touch? A body wrap for an extra dose of indulgence.

“There is something almost cocoon-like about having the body exfoliated, treated, and wrapped in warmth, especially when it is combined with massage. It engages all of the senses and allows you to surrender in a way that is difficult to describe until you experience it.”

But Bayer’s reigning philosophy isn’t about turning back the clock. Instead, she’s embracing an approach that celebrates every chapter.

“I am loving the shift from anti-aging to pro-aging. For me, that has meant embracing my gray hair rather than feeling like I need to cover it. I still want to care for myself and feel good, but I am less interested in trying to erase every sign of age. There is something beautiful about allowing yourself to evolve and feeling confident in the person you are becoming,” she explains.

“I think we will see much more beauty and wellness care designed around specific stages of a woman’s life. … I see treatments becoming more thoughtful and personalized around changes in the skin, hair, hormones, sleep, and nervous system. … There is beauty in every season of life, and our treatments should support that rather than erase it.”

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There’s no doubt The Office is one of the most universally beloved sitcoms, not just of the 2000s, but of all time. The mockumentary style sitcom has an eclectic mix of characters, almost all of whom went on to huge projects once the show ended. It’s one of those shows that even if you never watched it, you know what it’s about. You’ve heard of the most talked about moments, scenes, and lines, and appreciate its cultural impact.

That said, there are other sitcoms that came both before The Office and after it that are arguably even more universally loved. They range from family sitcoms to ones about friends, and feature everything from absurdist humor to classic sarcasm and biting jokes. If you’re looking for a sitcom that’s as good or better than The Office, you have some great choices to consider.

10

‘Arrested Development’ (2003–2006, 2013–2019)

Image via Fox/Netflix

Arrested Development wasn’t an instant hit. In fact, Fox canceled the satirical sitcom after just three seasons. Thankfully, Netflix swept in, as it has with other shows, and developed more episodes, spread out with the first set seven years later, followed by more episodes five years after that. The quirky show follows the dysfunctional Bluth family that’s trying to navigate running their business following the arrest of patriarch Oscar (Jeffrey Tambor).

With an eclectic mix of personalities and hilarious moments, Arrested Development is one of the most fun shows of the 2000s. It grew to develop a cult following and is now widely considered to be one of the best TV shows of all time. With a total of five seasons spread across 16 years, shows like 30 Rock and Community are widely considered to have been influenced by Arrested Development.

9

‘Friends’ (1994–2004)

Image via NBC

You’ll probably come across someone who swears they don’t like Friends or claims they have never watched it. First, there is no way they haven’t seen episodes. And second, encourage them to watch, and there’s zero chance they won’t let out a chuckle or two. It’s almost impossible not to like Friends. The show solidified the 20-somethings’ friend dynamic in the big city. It is responsible for some of the most popular catchphrases from TV. And the characters are among the most recognized around the world.

You hear about people who say they learned to speak English from watching Friends. If you overhear someone say “we were on a break!,” “pivot!,” and “could you BE any more ridiculous?” you instantly know where the line is from. We quote Friends episodes to this day, and many even compare our own friends to the characters. The influence of the show is one thing, but its universal love, literally around the world, takes it to a whole other level.

8

‘Seinfeld’ (1989–1998)

Image via NBC/courtesy Everett Collection

Like Friends, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn’t watched at least a few episodes of Seinfeld, and even less likely to come across a person who doesn’t know some of the popular quotes from it. Some from the younger generation might know them, even say them, and not realize these phrases originated on the show. Think “master of your own domain,” “serenity now,” and “man hands.”

Seinfeld is famously a show about nothing, the daily doings of a group of friends as they discuss everything from the annoying neighbor to the horrible day they had at work, and their latest romantic partners. Yet the writing is so brilliant, so sharp, and the acting impeccable, that it delivers every single time. The sitcom remains a classic comedy show that’s still better than most new series. Seinfeld is a masterclass in how to make sitcom television, and a testament to the fact that having a silly hook or special story isn’t needed to make a show funny.

7

‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ (1996–2005)

Image via CBS

While there are moments in Everybody Loves Raymond that wouldn’t hold up today, the show is tough not to love. The sitcom centers around Raymond Barone (Ray Romano) and his family, as well as his invasive parents and jealous older brother. Raymond’s mother caters to his every whim, much to his wife Debra’s (Patricia Heaton) chagrin.

The clashing personalities of the characters on the show are what make it so perfect. Ray’s desire to keep the peace, desperate to avoid conflict, his mother Marie’s (Doris Roberts) passive-aggressive jabs at Debra, and his father Frank’s (Peter Boyle) overly masculine, rough-around-the-edges personality mix to make sitcom perfection.

6

‘Full House’ (1987–1995)

Image via ABC

If there’s ever a show to watch with the family, it’s Full House. It’s a wholesome family sitcom to a T that hasn’t been replicated since. Every episode following single father Danny Tanner (Bob Saget) raising his three daughters with the help of his brother-in-law and best friend has a purpose, a moral, a lesson. And each one is delivered with sweet and innocent humor.

As corny as it is, there’s something so endearing about Full House. So much so that when a sequel series came out on Netflix decades later called Fuller House, fans fell in love with it again. Like a time capsule of the early ’90s, Full House will make you laugh, cry through its “very special” episodes, and feel warm and cozy inside.

5

‘Cheers’ (1982–1993)

Image via NBC

I don’t think I have ever met a single person who recalls Cheers and claims not to have liked the show. What’s not to like? The sitcom predominantly takes place in a local bar of the same name tended by owner Sam Malone (Ted Danson) and patronized by regulars and the occasional new customer. We get to know everyone from the occasionally employed accountant Norm (George Wendt), who is always greeted with a loud name call when he arrives, to the know-it-all mail carrier Cliff (John Ratzenberger), and the wisecracking waitress Carla (Rhea Perlman).

There’s something comforting about feeling like you’re hanging out at the bar with everyone, following Sam’s flip-flopping love life and womanizing ways, laughing at bartender Woody’s (Woody Harrelson) naivete, and enjoying psychiatrist Frasier Crane’s (Kelsey Grammer) rants. It’s the bar where everyone knows your name, and one that’s universally loved by all.

4

‘Modern Family’ (2009–2020)

Image via ABC

In a sea of cookie-cutter sitcoms, many of which serve as sequels, prequels, or spinoffs to older ones, Modern Family burst onto the scene as something fresh and new. And it worked. The series follows the unconventional Pritchett family that’s far from traditional. While Claire (Julie Bowen) is married with three kids, her father Jay (Ed O’Neill) is married to a much younger (and incredibly attractive) woman, Gloria (Sofia Vergara), who has a son and, eventually, a new baby with her aging husband. Meanwhile, Claire’s brother Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) is married to Cam (Eric Stonestreet), and they have adopted a Vietnamese baby.

The family is a mix of personalities, from the uptight Claire to her goofy husband Phil (Ty Burrell), the effeminate Cam, rebellious daughter Haley (Sarah Hyland), and bookworm daughter Alex (Ariel Winter). There’s so much to love about Modern Family, from the clever writing that includes double entendres and misunderstandings in every episode, to the relatable family moments. It’s no surprise Modern Family won five Emmys for Outstanding Comedy Series.

3

‘Schitt’s Creek’ (2015–2020)

Image via CBC Television

Sweeping the Emmys and winning in all four major categories in 2020 for its final year, Schitt’s Creek is one of the most modern, endearing sitcoms. It began with an idea: what would happen to a wealthy family if they suddenly lost everything and were forced to move to a small town? This premise is explored as the Rose family ends up in the title town, a place patriarch Johnny (Eugene Levy) once bought as a joke.

What happens from there is a wonderfully positive story of acceptance, appreciation, and understanding about what really matters in life. But it’s delivered behind a humorous lens as each member of the family, including aging actress mother Moira (Catherine O’Hara) and spoiled rich adult kids David (Dan Levy) and Alexis (Annie Murphy), learns real values and hard work. Schitt’s Creek is also widely praised for its handling of LGBTQ+ themes. It’s a family sitcom that you can’t help but smile from ear to ear while watching, one that’s amazing from start to finish.

2

‘I Love Lucy’ (1951–1957)

Image via CBS

Any ranking of the best sitcoms ever made will have I Love Lucy at or near the top of the list. Its comedic brilliance can never be touched by The Office or any other show. Lucille Ball had a knack for delivering comedy not just in dialogue, but in her movements, her facial expressions, every ounce of her being. Seeing her and her best friend Ethel (Vivian Vance) get up to antics while their husbands are at work never gets old.

You won’t find a single person on Earth who doesn’t like I Love Lucy or doesn’t at least appreciate the humor if they were to watch it now. Comedic actors today still praise Ball as an inspiration, as well as the show itself. I Love Lucy opened the door for shows like The Office, and it’s arguably the most universally loved show ever made.

1

‘The Golden Girls’ (1985–1992)

Image via NBC

The Golden Girls are so enduring that they even play a role in the Deadpool movies, the titular superhero claiming to be a huge fan of the series. The sitcom centers around three middle-aged women living in a Miami beach house; Dorothy’s (Bea Arthur) mother comes to live with them, too, when her retirement home burns down. As they navigate life now that their kids are grown, and they have gone through either divorce or the death of their partners, they lean on one another for support in this next chapter.

The Golden Girls was the precursor to any show about groups of female friends. And it’s also one of the funniest ever made. The jokes always hit because of both the writing and the unmatched delivery from every single one of the cast members. The show came together for seven masterpiece seasons that new generations today are starting to watch and appreciate for its relevance and sharp comedic timing.

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The Golden Girls

Release Date

1985 – 1992-00-00

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Showrunner

Susan Harris

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Directors

Susan Harris

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A great show should look different by Season 5. After all, the premise that hooked viewers in Season 1 can’t keep doing the work forever. There are only so many times before familiar conflicts start repeating themselves and characters begin running in circles. The best writers understand that reaching Season 5 should mean something has changed along the way. That can be in the form of character growth, changing relationships, and sometimes, even reworking the central conflict of the story.

That’s easier said than done, but thankfully, HBO has produced several shows that knew exactly what to do with the time they had. None of the five shows on this list ends as a longer version of what it was in Season 1. In fact, they evolve without losing what made them great in the first place, which is exactly why they are considered the greatest.

5

‘Insecure’ (2016–2021)

Image via HBO

Insecure is easily one of the most accurate and realistic depictions of adulthood on television. The HBO comedy begins with Issa Dee (Issa Rae) approaching 30, stuck in a job she hates, questioning her long-term relationship with Lawrence (Jay Ellis), and wondering whether everyone around her has life figured out better than she does. Her best friend Molly Carter (Yvonne Orji) appears far more successful on paper, but her dating life and tendency to overthink everything practically reveal a different kind of insecurity. Together, they spend five seasons stumbling through careers, relationships, friendships, and the uncomfortable realization that becoming the person one wants to be usually takes longer than expected.

The most grounded aspect of the show is how Issa doesn’t suddenly discover some bigger purpose after a eureka moment. Instead, the show simply lets time pass as she goes through life’s ebbs and flows. That isn’t to say she doesn’t experience growth — Insecure comes full circle at the end of its five-season run. It doesn’t tie everything up into a neat little bow, but makes the audience realize that perfection was never the point anyway.

4

‘Hacks’ (2021–2026)

Image via HBO Max

Hacks is technically a comedy, but this HBO series captures the full range of the human condition in completely unexpected ways. The show follows legendary Las Vegas comedian Deborah Vance (Jean Smart), whose long-running residency is beginning to look increasingly outdated. On the other hand, Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder) is a young comedy writer whose career collapses after an offensive joke leaves her practically unemployable. Deborah needs fresher material, and Ava needs a job, so their manager forces them together. Now, neither of the two ladies is particularly happy about this arrangement, especially since they are total opposites in terms of their approach to life and have a massive generational gap, which adds another layer of tension to the dynamic. However, the show follows the two as their relationship gradually starts changing.

Ava pushes Deborah to make her comedy more honest, while Deborah teaches Ava the ins and outs of an industry where women are rarely given their due respect. The clever part is that Hacks never lets either woman remain comfortably the mentor or student. Deborah and Ava keep butting heads, but they always find their way back to each other. Their conflicts keep Hacks from ever feeling stale, especially since they are always rooted in the characters’ individual journeys. Plenty of comedies can keep finding new situations for their characters, but Hacks found five seasons of new ways for its central relationship to evolve, without ever losing the friction that made putting these two women in the same room so hilarious in the first place.

3

‘Boardwalk Empire’ (2010–2014)

Image via HBO

Boardwalk Empire tracks one of the most fascinating periods in American history. The five-season epic begins in Atlantic City at the dawn of Prohibition, with political treasurer Enoch “Nucky” Thompson (Steve Buscemi) realizing almost immediately that banning alcohol is going to make the right people extremely rich. Nucky already controls much of the city through political connections and corruption, but bootlegging gives him a chance to expand far beyond New Jersey. His local operation soon connects him to gangsters, politicians, businessmen, and rival organizations across the country, and the stakes just keep expanding from there. Boardwalk Empire’s historical progression is what gives this story a sense of scale that becomes more impressive with every season.

Nucky initially looks like the man perfectly built for this new America, but it starts feeling like he is in way over his head when his protégé Jimmy Darmody (Michael Pitt) turns against him. Every time Nucky survives yet another rival, the show makes it clear that he cannot keep up with the changing criminal world around him forever. Boardwalk Empire Season 5 makes that shift impossible to ignore with a time jump. The show follows one man building an empire while simultaneously showing how history makes his version of power obsolete. Perfectly capturing a story like that across five seasons is no small feat.

2

‘Six Feet Under’ (2001–2005)

Image via HBO

Six Feet Under tells the audience exactly how every story eventually ends, and then spends five seasons proving how everything that came before it is what matters. The drama, created by Alan Ball, follows the Fisher family, who run a funeral home in Los Angeles. After patriarch Nathaniel Fisher Sr. (Richard Jenkins) dies suddenly, his sons Nate (Peter Krause) and David (Michael C. Hall) are left to run the family business alongside their mother Ruth (Frances Conroy) and younger sister Claire (Lauren Ambrose).

Now, one would assume that being surrounded by death every day has prepared the family to deal with it, but it turns out they are just as confused about life as the grieving families who give them business. That contradiction gives the show five seasons of material without requiring increasingly ridiculous stakes. Everyone in the Fisher family is dealing with the loss in their own way, but Nathaniel’s death also forces them to confront whether they are actually living the lives that they want to. By Season 5, the audience is so attached to these characters that the whole emotional ending in the final episode feels strangely beautiful instead of bleak.

1

‘The Wire’ (2002–2008)

Image via HBO

The Wire might just be the best show ever created. The series begins with detective Jimmy McNulty (Dominic West) pushing his department to investigate drug kingpin Avon Barksdale (Wood Harris) and his organization, but that first case quickly exposes how much bigger the problem really is. The show turns the city of Baltimore itself into the main character to show how crime is connected to practically every institution around it. McNulty and his team can spend months building a case against Avon, but their work is constantly shaped by higher-ups worried about statistics, appearances, and closing cases more than actually fixing the conditions that create them. Every breakthrough is complicated by police politics, budgets, and unimaginable bureaucracy. At the same time, the show follows Stringer Bell (Idris Elba), who is trying to make the drug trade function more like a legitimate business, while young dealers on the corners are treated as replaceable pieces in a system much larger than them.

Now, The Wire refuses to keep its critique of the system confined to narcotics. Season 2 shifts the focus to the city’s dying docks; Season 3 brings the focus back to the streets as City Hall begins shaping what the police are allowed to do; Season 4 covers the public schooling system, while Season 5 turns toward journalism. The interesting part is how all of these institutions are interconnected, even when the people inside them rarely see the full picture. That is also why characters who seem powerful in one part of the city can look completely powerless in another. More than two decades later, The Wire still feels like a timeless piece of television that somehow keeps becoming relevant all over again. If there is one HBO classic every serious television fan should experience at least once, this is it.

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The Wire

Release Date

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2002 – 2008-00-00

Network

HBO

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Directors

Ernest R. Dickerson, Ed Bianchi, Steve Shill, Clark Johnson, Daniel Attias, Agnieszka Holland, Tim Van Patten, Alex Zakrzewski, Anthony Hemingway, Brad Anderson, Clement Virgo, Elodie Keene, Peter Medak, Rob Bailey, Seith Mann, Christine Moore, David Platt, Dominic West, Gloria Muzio, Jim McKay, Leslie Libman, Milcho Manchevski, Robert F. Colesberry, Thomas J. Wright

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